Device for indication of the hour in a timepiece

ABSTRACT

A device for adjusting the hour hand of a timepiece from outside the timepiece without moving the cannon pinion or the minute pinion wherein a coaxial coupling in which two or more balls are provided on one coaxial element such that each of the balls can successively engage in notches provided in the other coaxial element.

United States Patent 11 1 Kocher et al. July 17, 1973 DEVICE FOR INDICATION OF THE HOUR [56] References Cited IN A TIMEPIECE UNITED STATES PATENTS [75] Inventors: Hans Kocher, Buren an der Aare; 2,674,085 4/1954 Israel 58/85.5 Peter Schmied, Diessbach b/Buren 651,706 6/1900 Forbes 74/527 X aA, both f Switzerland 2,489,626 11/1949 061166116 200/166 so x 73 A B w h C S A 3,403,580 10/1968 English et a1. 74/527 t l 1 ssgnee 32 g mummy FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [22] Filed Jan 4 1972 582,687 11/1946 Great Britain ZOO/166 SD I [21] Appl. No.: 215,300 Primary Examiner-George H. Miller, Jr.

Attorney-LeBlanc & Shur [30] Foreign Application Priority Data 57] ABSTRACT Jan. 28, 1972 Sw1tzerland 1246/71 A device for a j g the hour hand of a timepiece [52] U 8 Cl 58/85 5 74527 74,531 from outside the timepiece without moving the cannon 206/166 pinion or the minute pinion wherein a coaxial coupling [51] m. Cl 7 G04, 27/00 in which two or more balls are provided on one coaxial {58] Field 5 74,527 element such that each of the balls can successively engage in notches provided in the other coaxial element.

' 8 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures DEVICE FOR INDICATION OF THE HOUR IN A TIMEPIECE The present invention relates to a device for indicating the hour provided for a timepiece and able to be operated from the outside so as to modify the position of the hour hand without moving the cannon pinion or the minute pinion.

Watches are already known whose hour indicating device is arranged so that it is possible to move by manual control the hour hand a number of hours without touching the position of the minute hand to permit users of these watches, when they move to different time zones, to set them to local time without having to modify the setting of the minute hand. The known indicating devices generally comprise a coupling connecting two mobile parts which together constitute the hour wheel and which present a certain determined number of relative orientations in which the two mobile parts are solid in rotation with one another. This interlocking is effective only if the couple transmitted from one mobile part to the other is slight. Under the action of a greater couple, the mobile part which carries the hour hand is disengaged from the hour wheel properly socalled and can therefore pass from one orientation to the next. It is clear that to avoid disturbing the movement of the watch at the time the hour correction is made, it is necessary that this coupling be disengaged under the action of a relatively slight couple. On the other hand, for reasons of design, it advantageous that this coupling be as small as possible.

Most of the devices of this type that are already known comprise two mobile parts, each of which comprises a cannon and a circular plate. These two mobile parts are fitted one in the other and pressed axially against one another. The plate of one of the mobile parts carries one or two diametrically opposite studs, which project in the direction of the plate of the other mobile part. This latter presents 12 openings corresponding to the studs and distributed on its entire periphery, the coupling between the two mobile parts being achieved by engagement of the stud or studs in one or two of said openings. In other cases, the studs are replaced by balls, but the number of the notches provided to receive the balls is also twelve and corresponds to the number of angular positions which the two mobile parts can take in relation to one another.

It has also been proposed to fix the position of a day ring in a calendar watch by means of a ball which is pressed elastically, in the radial or axial direction, against the day ring, this latter presenting 3l notches along its periphery.

Now, it is advantageous to make coupling devices between the two organs of an adjustable hour wheel as small as possible, in particular in the axial direction and I to avoid the axial movements that known devices previously required.

The purpose of the present invention is therefore to permit adjustment of the position of the hour hand of a watch on the indication valid in the time zone in which the wearer of the watch is located, by small-sized means, easy to operate and not disturbing the functioning of the watch.

For this purpose, the present invention has for its object a coupling device between two coaxial organs in a watch movement, these organs presenting coaxial circular surfaces kept opposite one another and said sur-' face of first organ presenting housings in each of which is housed a ball solid in rotation with the first organ and pressed against said surface of the second organ by elastic means, characterized in that said surface of the second organ presents notches separated by sliding surface elements and distributed so that each ball can suecessively engage in each of the notches and make the two organs solid with one another against a determined maximum couple, in that the number of balls is at least equal to two and in that the distribution of housings and notches is such that the number of difierent angular orientations in which the two organs can be coupled by engagement of one ball in one of the housings is equal to the product of the number of notches times the number of balls.

The accompanying drawing shows, by way of example, an embodiment of the device according to the invention.

FIG. 1 is a view in horizontal section, along line [-1 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 2 is a section along line II-II of FIG. 1.

The drawing shows a wristwatch movement with plate 1 (FIG. 2) carrying in the center of its surface a stud 2 on which pivots cannon pinion 3. This part carries on its upper end minute hand 4 whereas hour hand 5 is mounted on an indicator organ 6 distinct from hour wheel 7 properly so-called and connected to this latter by a coupling described below. Minute wheel 8 is mounted in the usual way on plate 1 and engages, on the one hand, with cannon pinion 3 and, on the other hand, with hour wheel 7. Mobile part 6 comprises a hub which goes around the cannon of wheel 7 and a toothed disk with ratchet 9 which extends immediately above wheel 7.

Dial 10 presents a central opening 11 which is enlarged on its internal side and which comes out above a shoulder presented by the cannon of wheel 6. However, as will be seen below, coupling between the two mobile parts 6 and 7 is so designed that these mobile parts remain connected in the axial direction regardless of their relative orientation, at least against the action of weak axial forces.

The cannon of hour wheel 7 presents (FIG. 1) six axial grooves 12 distributed at 60 from one another. It further presents a circular groove 13 which is located at midheight of the grooves and whose bottom is curved. The depth of this groove 13 is smaller than that of grooves 12. i

The part of the hub indicator organ 6 which extends to the height of grooves 12 and groove 13 forms a thin cylindrical wall which is pierced by two openings 14 directed to one another. These openings serve to retain two balls 15 whose radii of curvature are equal to the radius of the bottom of groove 13 and which are kept in place by a spring blade I6 bent in the general shape of a U. The two approximately straight branches of this spring blade are connected by a rounded part which surrounds a pin 17 fixed in the disk of mobile part 6. The ends of the two branches of spring 16 are bent inward at such an angle that they apply radially against the parts of balls 15 going beyond the outside surface of the hub of mobile part 6. Thanks to this spring 16, the two balls are kept in place in openings 14 are are pressed against the lateral surface of the cannon of wheel 7. Notches 12 being spaced 60 from one another, whereas the balls are directed at 150 from one another, it can be seen that, if one of the balls is engaged in a notch 12, the other is applied to the center of the sliding surface which is made up of the portion of groove 13 connecting two other notches. The ball which is engaged in notch 12 makes the two mobile parts solid in rotation while the ball which is engaged in groove 13 makes then solid in the axial direction. The connection between the two mobile parts is therefore perfectly assured but all that is required is to exert a very slight relative couple between the two parts of the mobile hour part for the ball engaged in groove 12 to come out against the action of spring 16, so that mobile parts 6 and 7 turn in relation to one another until the other ball goes into one of two grooves 12 in the vicinity of which it is located. The assembly of organs 6 and 7 therefore can take a dozen different relative orientations.

To permit a rapid hour correction, when going from one time zone to another, the device described is further equipped with a correction mechanism which principally comprises a bent lever 18 that can be operated by a push rod 19 against the action of a spring 20. Lever 18 is mounted on plate 1 but is housed in a recess presented by an upper bridge 21 placed between dial l and the plate. This bridge carries a pivot stem 22 which goes through an extended opening 23 made in the bend of lever 18. One of the arms of this lever extends to the vicinity of the periphery of the movement and its free end is acted on by the end of spring wire 20 bent in U-shape and attached by its other end in a hole 24 made in bridge 21. Push rod 19, which is mounted on the case, acts on a bent part 25 of the outside arm of lever 18 so that it rests on this outside arm between the end on which spring 20 presses and extended opening 23 which permits pivoting of the lever. The second arm of this lever extends in the radial direction to the vicinity of teeth 9 of mobile part 6. This inside end of lever 18 forms a nose 26 intended to engage in teeth 9 by pivoting counterclockwise. The back face of nose 26 forms a sharp angle with its front face, that is fairly radial in normal position and, as can be seen in FIG. 1, it rests against a stop 27 which is formed by a part projecting from bridge 21 edging the groove in which lever 18 is engaged. This stop 26, and the arrangement of spring 20 and extended opening 23, assure an extremely simple functioning of the correction mechanism. From the position shown in the drawing, which is the normal position, it can be seen that a pressure exerted on push rod 19 tends, first, to make lever 18 pivot clockwise around the support point made up of the end of spring 20. This movement can be performed until the outside end of extended opening 23 strikes against pin 22. During this movement, nose 26 slides on stop 27 and goes into teeth 9. From the moment when the 'end of opening 23 is in contact with pin 22, the pressure exerted on push rod 19 causes a counterclockwise pivoting movement.

Nose 26, which is engaged in teeth 9, catches by its front face the radial face of one of the teeth of mobile part 6 and makes it turn in relation to the hour wheel whose movement is connected to that of the works. A pressure exerted on the push rod causes a correction of the position of the hour hand, the movement being approximately equal to 1 hour. When push rod 119 is released at the end of the correction movement, mobile part 6 comes into its final position which is given by one of balls 15 engaging in a groove 112. On the other hand, spring 20 tends to make mobile organ 1% turn clockwise, and to push it outward in translation. At the same time, the end of nose 26 and its back face are guided, on the one hand, by an inclined side of the preceding tooth of teeth 9, and, on the other hand, by stop 27. At the end of the travel, lever 18 is kept in a clearly determined position under the single action of spring 20. The end of its outside arm rests against shoulder 28 made in bridge 21, whereas nose 26 rests against stop 27. Pin 22 is approximately in the center of the extended opening 23.

Of course, in other embodiments, the means of controlling indicator organ 6 could be different from what has been shown in the drawing. Particularly, it would be possible to use, as the correction organ, the watch stem brought in a suitable position. On the other hand, the coupling mechanism described above could also be designed differently, while using one or more balls solid in rotation with the mobile parts and kept pressed against a surface of the other mobile part. The number of grooves and balls could be different from what has been shown in the drawing. Thus, for example, for a 24- hour watch, it would suffice to provide in the hub of mobile part 6, four openings holding four balls in place instead of two openings 14. The coupling could be achieved with practically the same dimensions.

The orientations of three of these openings in relation to the fourth could be, for example, and 225, respectively.

The main advantage of the mechanism described above is that it achieves a very precise coupling of two mobile parts which form the hour wheel while requiring only a very slight couple to achieve the disengagement and a relative rotation of the mobile parts.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restricture, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

l. A watch movement comprising an hour mobile organ, said organ including two coaxial parts coupled to one another by a coupling device that can make these two mobile organs solid in 12 or 24 different orientations against a given limit couple, an hour hand carried by one of said parts, a control device acting directly on said one part and maneuverable from the outside of the movement, said control device including a bent lever carried by said movement for pivoting movement about two axes, a spring engaging the end of one of the arms of said lever and defining therewith one of said pivotal axes, means carried adjacent the opposite end of said one arm defining the other pivotal axis for said lever, and a control organ acting on said one arm between said pivotal axes, teeth carried about said one part, the end of the other lever arm being engageable with said teeth to modify the orientation of said hour hand from one position to a neighboring position under the action of a pressure exerted on the control organ. 7

2. The movement according to claim 1 including a stop carried thereby close to the periphery of the hour indicator organ, the end of the other lever arm being normally engaged against said stop.

3. The movement according to claim 1 characterized in that said step and the end of the other lever arm are shaped such that said lever pivots about said spring to engage the end of the other lever arm with said teeth, said lever thereafter being pivotal about said second axis to rotate said one part and thereby carry said hour hand to a neighboring position.

4. Coupling device between two coaxial organs in a watch movement, these organs presenting coaxial circular surfaces kept opposite one another and said surface of the first organ presenting housings in each of which is housed a ball solid in rotation with the first organ and pressed against said surface of the second organ by elastic means, characterized in that said surface of the second organ presents notches separated by sliding surface elements and distributed so that each ball can engage successively in each of the notches and make the two organs solid with each other against a determined maximum couple, in that the number of balls is at least equal to two and in that the the distribution of the housings and notches is such that the number of different angular orientations in which the two organs can be coupled by engagement of a ball in one of the housings is equal to the product of the number of notches times the number of balls, each organ comprising a central cannon, these cannons being coupled to one another, in that each ball is engaged in an opening presented by the outside cannon while the inside cannon presents opposite the opening or openings a circular groove forming sliding surfaces, and cut by deeper axial grooves and constituting said notches, said balls being pressed against the inside cannon by a spring blade bent in U-shape and mounted about the outside cannon.

5. The device according to claim 4 characterized in that the inside cannon presents six axial notches distributed at 60 to one another and in that the outside cannon presents two openings spaced at 150' with each opening containing a ball.

6. A watch movement comprising an hour wheel including first and second coaxially arranged parts rotatable relative to one another, one of said parts carrying an hour hand, means for coupling said parts one to the other for conjoint rotary movement in one of 12 different relative angular orientations, said coupling means including a pair of balls carried by and spaced circumferentially about one of said parts, the other of said parts having six notches spaced circumferentially thereabout, said balls and said notches being arranged such that said balls alternately engage respective succesive notches as said parts rotate relative to one another, whereby each ball engages in each successive notch for a full 360 rotation of said parts relative to one another.

7. The movement according to claim 6 wherein said parts have concentric portions, said balls being carried by the outer concentric portion of one of said parts, said notches being carried by the inner concentric portion of the other of said parts, and a generally U-shaped spring blade disposed about said outer concentric portion and engageable with said balls to urge the latter inwardly against said inner concentric portion and for engagement of the balls in the notches upon respective radial registration thereof.

8. A coupling device for a watch movement comprising inner and outer relatively rotatable concentric cannons, said outer cannon carrying for rotation therewith at least a pair of balls spaced circumferentially thereabout, said inner cannon having a circular surface containing a plurality of axially extending, radially outwardly facing notches circumferentially spaced thereabout and spaced one from the other by a circular groove, said notches being deeper in radial extent from said surface than said grooves, means for urging said balls inwardly for engagement in said notches and said circular groove, said balls and notches being arranged such that said balls alternately engage respective successive notches as said parts rotate relative to one another, said cannons being coupled for conjoint rotary movement when one of said balls engages in a notch, the number of difierent relative angular orientations of said cannons in which said cannons lie in'dn'ving relation one to the other being equal to the product of the number of notches times the number of balls. 

1. A watch movement comprising an hour mobile organ, said organ including two coaxial parts coupled to one another by a coupling device that can make these two mobile organs solid in 12 or 24 different orientations against a given limit couple, an hour hand carried by one of said parts, a control device acting directly on said one part and maneuverable from the outside of the movement, said control device including a bent lever carried by said movement for pivoting movement about two axes, a spring engaging the end of one of the arms of said lever and defining therewith one of said pivotal axes, means carried adjacent the opposite end of said one arm defining the other pivotal axis for said lever, and a control organ acting on said one arm between said pivotal axes, teeth carried about said one part, the end of the other lever arm being engageable with said teeth to modify the orientation of said hour hand from one position to a neighboring position under the action of a pressure exerted on the control organ.
 2. The movement according to claim 1 including a stop carried thereby close to the periphery of the hour indicator organ, the end of the other lever arm being normally engaged against said stop.
 3. The movement according to claim 1 characterized in that said stop and the end of the other lever arm are shaped such that said lever pivots about said spring to engage the end of the other lever arm with said teeth, said lever thereafter being pivotal about said second axis to rotate said one part and thereby carry said hour hand to a neighboring position.
 4. Coupling device between two coaxial organs in a watch movement, these organs presenting coaxial circular surfaces kept opposite one another and said surface of the first organ presenting housings in each of which is housed a ball solid in rotation with the first organ and pressed against said surface of the second organ by elastic means, characterized in that said surface of the second organ presents notches separated by sliding surface elements and distributed so that each ball can engage successively in each of the notches and make the two organs solid with each other against a determined maximum couple, in that the number of balls is at least equal to two and in that the the distribution of the housings and notches is such that the number of different angular orientations in which the two organs can be coupled by engagement of a ball in one of the housings is equal to the product of the number of notches times the number of balls, each organ comprising a central cannon, these cannons being coupled to one another, in that each ball is engaged in an opening presented by the outside cannon while the inside cannon presents opposite the opening or openings a circular groove forming sliding surfaces, and cut by deeper axial grooves and constituting said notches, said balls being pressed against the inside cannon by a spring blade bent in U-shape and mounted about the outside cannon.
 5. The device according to claim 4 characterized in that the inside cannon presents six axial notches distributed at 60* to one another and in that the outside cannon presents two openings spaced at 150* with each opening containing a ball.
 6. A watch movement comprising an hour wheel including first and second coaxially arranged parts rotatable relative to one another, one of said parts carrying an hour hand, means for coupling said parts one to the other for conjoint rotary movement in one of 12 different relative angular orientations, said coupling means including a pair of balls carried by and spaced circumferentially about one of said parts, the other of said parts having six notches spaced circumferentially thereabout, said balls and said notches being arranged such that said balls alternately engage respective succesive notches as said parts rotate relative to one another, whereby each ball engages in each successive notch for a full 360* rotation of said parts relative to one another.
 7. The movement according to claim 6 wherein said parts have concentric portions, said balls being carried by the outer concentric portion of one of said parts, said notches being carried by the inner concentric portion of the other of said parts, and a generally U-shaped spring blade disposed about said outer concentric portion and engageable with said balls to urge the latter inwardly against said inner concentric portion and for engagement of the balls in the notches upon respective radial registration thereof.
 8. A coupling device for a watch movement comprising inner and outer relatively rotatable concentric cannons, said outer cannon carrying for rotation therewith at least a pair of balls spaced circumferentially thereabout, said inner cannon having a circular surface containing a plurality of axially extending, radially outwardly facing notches circumferentially spaced thereabout and spaced one from the other by a circular groove, said notches being deeper in radial extent from said surface than said grooves, means for urging said balls inwardly for engagement in said notches and said circular groove, said balls and notches being arranged such that said balls alternately engage respective successive notches as said parts rotate relative to one another, said cannons being coupled for conjoint rotary movement when one of said balls engages in a notch, the number of different relative angular orientations of said cannons in which said cannons lie in driving relation one to the other being equal to the product of the number of notches times the number of balls. 